Air valve guard for radiators



y 949. BARNWELL 2,476,578

AIR VALVE GUARD FOR RADIATORS Filed June 17, 1948 'F I'E .z

26 IfrI/YG Elwyn 44.

Patented July 19, 1949 u Eo'i STATES: PATENT OFFICE 1 AIR VALVE GUARD FOR RADIATORS Irving Barnwel l, New York, N. Y.

This invention relates to steam radiators, and more particularly aims to provide a novel, useful and practical protector for the air valve thereof, to prevent knocking against or damaging of the valve.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a protector in the form of an attachment for the radiator, the attachment having means for securing it in proper position to the radiator and also being provided with guard or protective means whereby the valve is enclosed and protected yet has a free circulation of air, or open space, therearound so that the function of the valve is not interfered with.

The above as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended for the purpose of illustration only, and that it is therefore neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the exact details of construction shown except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a. side elevational view of a steam radiator, showing the protector attachment secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the attachment per se.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the attachment per se.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates a steam radiator of the type formed of a plurality of sections which are coupled inseries to provide a radiator of the length or capacity required, but only the end section ll of this radiator is shown. Such radiators moreover have, as an integral part of each such section as that shown at H, a central column l2. The radiator air valve, which is standard equipment for such radiators, is indicated at l3, and it is mounted in upright position.

The protector attachment of this invention comprises a 'U-shaped band l4 having aligned openings in the free extremities thereof for the passage therethrough of a screw bolt l5, and by means of a nut [6 the band is clamped about the end section II of the radiator, at the desired horizontal level, as shown in Fig. 1. The forward leg I! of the band I4 is provided with a bulge l8 to accommodate the valve l3.

An inverted U-shaped removable cover is provided for the bulge I8 and as a roof for that Applicationlune 17, 1948, serial Nb. 33 ,6421 4 Claims. (01,22,743)

part of the protector which encloses the valve l3. This roof has opposed legs 20 and 2|, the former having an opening therethrough, through which a screw 22 passes after passing through an opening in the front wall of the bulge It; so that, by means of the nut 23,'the front leg is secured within the front wall of the bulge. The rear leg 20 has a relatively wide longitudinal slot 24 extending along the same from its extremity, and the rear legs on both sides of this slot are rolled to form two aligned sleeves 25. A screw bolt 26 passes through aligned openings in the side walls of the bulge l8 and through the sleeves 25, so that, by means of the nut 21, the side walls of the bulge l8 are tightened against the valve l3. It is to be noted that the legs 20 and 2| are of sufficient length to space the roof l9 9. distance above the walls of the bulge l8 and also above the upper extremity of the valve l3, so that ample air space is provided around the vent of the valve.

It is apparent that, in the event that the band l4 should be moved downward from whatever cause, the roof I9 upon reaching the valve l3 will provide a limit stop to such movement. However, in order to prevent upward movement of the band I4, likewise from any cause whatever, the following means is provided. An angleshaped bar 28 is pivoted on one end to the band leg I! at 29, the pivot being so positioned that when the bar 28 stands at right angles to the leg I! the bar lies in the space between the column l2 and one outside leg of the section II. The upper end of the bar 28 is bifurcated at 30, and in the position shown in Fig. 1 the web 3| formed at the upper junction of the column l2 with its two side legs of the section II, registers in the bifurcation 30. Thus the bar 28 serves as an upper limit stop for the band 14. Actually, the upper end of the bar 28 need not necessarily be bifurcated as shown, but it would function as well if the left-hand leg 33 (Fig. 2) thereof were cut away on the line of the base 32 of the bifurcation so that the said line 32 wouldthen provide a shoulder to serve as the limit stop.

Thus a practical, useful and simple valve protector has been provided for steam radiators, and obviously modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is to be noted that when the valve protector is removed from the radiator, or prior to attachment thereto, the bar 28 may be folded down into position of alignment 3 with the leg 11, thus conserving shipping space.

I claim:

1. In combination with one end section of a radiator, said section comprising two spaced legs and a column positioned between said legs and spaced therefrom and a head joining said legs and column, a substantially U-shaped band having two arms, one of said arms being adapted to pass between said one section and the next adjacent section of the radiator, said arms having means on the ends thereof for clamping said arms against said one section, one of said arms having a bulge therein, said column having an upright radiator air valve secured thereto, said band being positioned on said one section with said valve registering in said bulge. V

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, said band having a roof mounted above and secured to said bulge.

mvme BARNWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lund Apr. 21, 1936 Number 

